5 comments about Inside the World of Warren Jeffs: The Power of Polygamy.

1. Dear Professor Western:
   
   I LOVED YOUR BOOK. My teacher says it was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
   I have read a lot of books on polygamy, but I liked yours the best of all because it talks about all kinds of polygamous groups in America. It really is a different "world". I intend to do my research paper on your study. I was sorry to hear that some polygamous people are giving you a hard time for telling the truth. I THINK THE MEDIA AND EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT SO DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER 'ESCAPE' TYPE BOOKS. It explains why polygamist men behave like they do, and all their different doctrines--fascinating. Keep up the good work, I learned a lot. - Thanks Rick.



2. I could not put this book down. I ordered it in a time where polygamy was all over the news. A ranch down in Texas was raided & 400+ children taken out of there, with only 100+ mothers. I thought this book really gave you a great idea of what it was like to live believing in this horrible religion of FDLS. It is sickening. I found it to be horrifying that young boys are tossed out of the community as to not be "competition" with the old men for the child bearing women!! I can't even believe there are people in the world that would believe this type of thing, but this book really gave me an understaing first hand of what it really is like. As a woman, you are basically stuck, you have no rights of your own, your children can be taken from you & raised as someone else's & you can be given to another husband if someone else sees fit. The "first wife" keeps track of the "sister wives" menstrual cycles, as to know when to let them sleep with her husband to produce as many children as they can. Children are abused, as are sister wives most times. Sometimes only the MAIN family eat well, dress well, etc, depending on the views of the husband. The sister wives & children eat scraps & ketchup sandwiches & wear rags, sewn together, while the first wife & their children together eat like royalty & wear new clothes. All to get a good spot in Heaven. I love this book, it is a bizarre religion, so I was in AWE alot, but it is a great inside view of their life. I read this book in 3 days flat. It was wonderful!



3. 
   While this book is worth reading, it is not about Warren Jeffs as anyone might expect from the title. While it does tell about the women in polygamy the dialog in most of these stories reads like that in a harlequin novel. Since I was expecting to learn about the life of Warren Jeffs I was disappointed.



4. First of all, this was a great book! Somewhere in the middle of the book, I went from feeling very sorry for these women, to actually being sort of mad at some of them. Some of these same women contined to find yet another Polygamy family even after leaving a horrible one.
   I feel mostly sorry for the children :(
   Great book otherwise !!



5. This is a terribly written book. It is obvious that Dr. Western has no writing skills. Don't waste your time or money. The publishers of this book should be embarrassed.

4 comments about The Book of Mormon Made Easier: Part 1 ( New Cover) (Gospel Studies Series, 4).

1. This book has been very informative and helpful in understanding the Book of Mormon. I love the Book of Mormon, and the 3 volumes of The Book of Mormon Made Easier has given me a greater understanding of these scriptures.



2. I've had problems following not only the Book of Mormon, but other scriptures (Bible, etc.)
   
   This series (Book of Mormon Made Easier) has been a major blessing. I am now able to understand what is going on and am able to gain a much greater knowledge.
   
   David Ridges method of presenting this material has made it easier for me to enjoy the Book of Mormon.



3. I am constantly thinking "I had never thought of that!" on most every page. The depth of this book has me craving more. I will be buying all of David J. Ridges "made Easier" series as I work my way through the scriptures again. THis is a must have in your library. I especially reccommend it for converts!!



4. All of David Ridges books are so helpful in studying the Scriptures. Passages that I never understood come clear with his commentary and scriptural references. His books are easier to use because the Scriptures are right there along with the explanation, instead of having several other books to go through and use as reference. I highly recommend this and his other Scripture study books. -P. Martin

5 comments about Out of Mormonism: A Woman's True Story.

1. Not particularly riveting, as books go, but it is certainly good to read for one's self.
   
   If you were disappointed by this book, why not read what Thomas Stuart Ferguson wrote to the LDS church at the end of his career.



2. I want everyone who is teeter-tottering on whether the LDS church is for them or not to understand this story.
   
   Forget JS marrying a bunch of teenagers, forget about the uneasy history of Mormonism, forget about DNA and the Book of Mormon, and the contradicting doctrines. All churches have these things in common to some degree.
   
   The most screwed up thing about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the way it treats it's own members and families. It claims to be pro family, but it splits up families and screws with people's lives. It makes them pay large sums of money in order to see a loved one's wedding. It takes, and takes, and takes. Whether it is your time, money, or sanity. It sucks you dry and does not give back anything of value except some pipe dream of a perfect afterlife. An afterlife which the church makes you feel is impossible to obtain, and uses this to heap unnecessary guilt upon it's members.
   
   It's not the doctrine that makes the church a damaging cult. It's the way they screw their members over. Such as not letting a father attend his child's wedding unless he pays $4000 in back tithing. He had to get a bank loan to do this.



3. This story is fine as long as you keep in mind that it is just one woman's perspective. I also grew up Mormon and left the church when I was 27. I do not share her ideas that Mormons are worshipping Lucifer and are a part of a cult. I know them to be good people who are very much living for God. Her descriptions of rituals are all right on as are her feelings a woman goes through as she tries to maintain the perfection the church requires. But not all of us go from Mormon to born-again Christian - so this book is probably for you if you are headed to born-again Christianity.



4. Ths exposes the secret Mormon teachings which the neatly--dressed Brighamite missionaries will not tell you about. They're instructed "meat before milk" so, they won't tell you the surreal teachings, which diverge wildly from traditional Christianity, such as (1)the idea that a man may become Exalted and get to be a God ruling his own planet, while he and his wife or wives get to crank out Spirit Children to inhabit the human bodies on the planet. Nor (2)the idea that God was once such a man. (This (2) is in direct contradiction to Bible passages such as: "the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change." --James 1:17 (NAB))
   
   The book documents each unusual teaching it exposes with authoritative references to books by Brighamite LDS "Church" officials. such as "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie's Mormon Doctrine, and the collected sermons of Church President Joseph Fielding Smith: Doctrines of Salvation: Sermons and Writings. Another good reference is Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
   
   It was fascinating; I couldn't put it down.
   
   It has inspired me to do Bible reading more frequently. Thank you, Judy.



5. This book makes so many wild claims about Mormonism, I am surprised anyone can take it seriously.
   The author is a bitter and vengeful woman who willingly became involved in a religion that she didn't even believe in the first place and eventually left because she could not handle her commitments. She uses extremely misinterpreted Bible verses to back up her beliefs that the Mormon church is untrue. On top of this, she creates an anti-Mormon organization with the intent to indoctrinate Christians with false beliefs about the Mormon church - AND her family's income comes out of this organization ... hmmmmm.
   The book falsely claims that Mormons believe that God has multiple wives, that woman's duty on Earth is to have as many babies as possible, that God literally impregnated Mary, and that God is progressive and changing. All of these are untrue statements and I wonder how she could possibly believe those things, having been an LDS member for 7 years.
   The overall tone is sarcastic, spiteful and condescending to the Mormon way of life from page 1. The writing is so forced and the dialog so unnatural that I believe she has made up a lot of conversations that take place in the book.
   I can't help wondering if God would want one of his children to be so negative and hateful to a group of good people who mean harm to no one.
   
   If you are curious about the Mormon church, then please attend church services or read the Book of Mormon. This woman has an agenda and it makes me incredibly sad to know that people may believe her writings.

5 comments about Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes.

1. Hinckley has done a masterful job of reminding us all about the basic, eternal virtues that have always been the core of righteous living. This book is a "shot-in-the-arm". After reading it I felt encouraged to look for ways I can apply these virtues in my life everyday. I'd recommend this book to anyone!



2. The book Standing for Something by President Gordon B. Hinckley, who is also the Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Standing for Something starts off with a foreword by Mike Wallace talking a little bit about the life of Gordon B. Hinckley, and then leads into the main part of the book where Gordon B. Hinckley talks about the "10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes." President Hinckley has written many other inspirational books such as Stand a Little Taller: Counsel and Inspiration for Each Day of the Year, and Way to Be! 9 Ways to Be Happy and Make Something of Your Life. Standing for Something is full of great quotes and stories that attempt to enrich the readers' life.
   In this book Gordon B. Hinckley uses many stories in order to enrich his 10 values. For example he explains to us in the first chapter that love is a binding force that can bring people together, and that it is, "the only force that can erase differences between people (pg. 3)." He also goes on to say that "love is the very essence of life (pg. 3)" President Hinckley tells of a story of an oddly matched couple, both attending the same university. He tells us about the boy, who was a poor boy who lived on a farm, whose seemingly only redeeming quality was his work ethic. He tells of a girl, from a wealthy family who is pretty and wears nice clothing. They meet and somehow make something out of their differences. He tells of some of their struggles and how they overcome them.
   Another good example of a story he tells is in the next chapter on honesty. He gives some thoughts on what honesty is and some tips on how to try to include it into our daily lives, and some other examples of how it will help us. Gordon B. Hinckley then tells of a story his father told him when he was a boy. It tells about how two boys were going to trick a man but ended up doing a nice deed for him instead, which ended up benefitting the man and making the boys feel good about themselves. If they had tried to deceive the man by hiding his shoes from him, they would have ended up in a bad situation, rather than helping him out, even anonymously.
   In the chapter where Gordon B. Hinckley teaches the value of optimism, there is another good story. He teaches us about having a good attitude towards things and always try to be positive. He says that being negative is never a good thing and to always look for the best in things. He leads into a story about him and his father, where he was being critical of something and his father taught him about being optimistic and about not being cynical about things, but trying to make the best of the situation. The stories that President Hinckley includes with his 10 values help to emphasize them, and give them greater meaning.
   The next thing Gordon B. Hinckley uses in this book is the use of quotes by famous and other prestigious people. In the chapter where he teaches us morality, he uses a quote by Channing Pollock, a writer in the early 1900's, to help highlight some of the concepts of morality. "A world which believed in purity... would be a very different world, but a grand place to live in. (pg. 51)" That quote basically sums up the entirety of almost the entire book, but does an excellent job of stressing the chapter's theme of trying to be moral.
   In the chapter where Gordon B. Hinckley explains the virtue of learning continuously, there is a quote by Dr. Joshua Liebman, a Rabbi in the early 1900's which is used to help emphasize the rest of the chapter. "The great thing is that as long as we live we have the privilege of growing. We can learn new skills, engage in new kinds of work, devote ourselves to new causes, and make new friends. Accepting then the truth that we are capable in some directions and limited in others, that genius is rare, that mediocrity is the portion of most of us, let us remember that we can and must change ourselves. Until the day of our death we can grow. We can tap hidden resources in our makeup. (pg. 77)" The rest of this chapter Gordon B. Hinckley explains that learning throughout all of our lives is a gift, and we should take advantage of it. I think the quote that he used was in good place and works well.
   In conclusion I think that the use of stories as well as quotes gives Standing for Something a lot of extra emphasis on the values which are outlined by President Hinckley. While this book isn't an exciting, action packed book, I feel that it is a great book with a lot of great inspirational value with great things to learn from it.



3. I was raised by great parents who taught me most of these virtues, not only by teaching, but also by example; so I know that they work. As with most people, I find myself lacking and find that I need reminders from time to time of these basic principles of happiness. Gordon B. Hinckley has done a great job of articulating and providing a compelling argument for these ten virtues. It has caused me to reflect on my life and make resolutions to improve where I need to, and to teach my children those same things. Any book that does this for me is worth reading.
   
   I also loved his discussion on the guardians of virtue; marriage and family. I agree that the secret to a great society is to have strong families anchored by a strong marriage. I strongly recommend this book for anyone willing to be reminded of such important points.



4. If more people followed the ideas in this book, the world would be a better place, filled with better people, and thus a more pleasant place to live!



5. Wonderful! Being happy doesn't have to be so complicated. This book is so well written. I use it as a reference often. I also use it to cheer me up. It reminds me not to get caught up in the world. I have given this as a gift many times. Thank you. Mr. Hinckley. It was fabulous!

5 comments about An Insider's View of Mormon Origins.

1. OUTSTANDING! High information density. Interesting material presented in a very engaging manner.
   
   I couldn't put it down and finished the book in three days (a very fast read for me).
   
   The author is very good. The author has done a great job with research. About a third of the book is footnotes! Then he presents his information in a very enjoyable, engaging manner.



2. This book is flawed and not "fair and balanced." I mean the book is not totally flawless. I could just write reams about its few small flaws (but that would be redundantly repetitive of other reviews). The book's also flawed 'cause it seeks to subject to logical analysis what can only be understood by the spirit-filled heart. Yep, no pure, yearning, and prayerful heart could find truth in the teachings of cults or those mistaken faiths. Lastly, this book doesn't present every known fact that could in any way be fashioned to point to the barest possibility that Smith could have been one bit less than an utter hoaxster. Now, that's just not fair.
   
   The breadth and depth of Grant's research is impressive. This is the best first book on the writings and teachings of Smith for those seeking to use the rational faculty.



3. I used to be mormon. I was even a mormon missionary for two years in brazil. Then I read this book. It got me thinking about all the crazy stuff I claimed to believe in. Native american angels bringing gold plates to farm boys in New York? John the Baptist coming down from heaven to baptise people? This book claims to be written by a member of the LDS church, but what this book says is completely against what the church teaches. If you are mormon, read this book. It's a thousand times better than the Book of Mormon, I testify.



4. If you are a Mormon, I want you to know that I respect your open-mindedness in reading this review. I also want you to know that I like Mormons, and even love a few, some of whom I consider to be the finest people who ever walked in shoe leather, as my grandmother used to say.
   
   Note: Your helpful votes are appreciated. Thanks, and please check my reviews of books by Hugh Nibley and John Sorenson, as well as my review of "Echoes and Evidence for the Book of Mormon."
   
   
   If you would like to contact me, see the comment section below. Thanks.
   
   I'll limit my review to Palmer's comments about the "Golden Pot," German occult story. Concerning the "Golden Pot," Mormon writers have made many false assumptions and outright errors. Mormon writers who criticize Palmer's chapter on the "Golden Pot" fail to recognize that:
   
   German language almanacs were sold in Palmyra, and German immigrants to the United States constituted a higher percentage of the immigrant population than even the Irish who were digging the Erie Canal. The Palmyra bookstore would not have been selling German almanacs if there had not been a fair percentage of German speakers in the area.
   
   The rough percentages of different Ethnic groups in Pennsylvania by 1760 were: English (40%), German (30%), Scotch-Irish (20%), and 10% for other groups. So there were a lot of German immigrants in America.
   
   Significantly, there was some talk after the American Revolution about whether English or German should be the national language! In the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin grumbled about Philadelphia's bilingual street signs and complained that the Pennsylvania parliament would soon need German-English interpreters.
   
   In the late-1700s the parliamentary records of Pennsylvania and new state laws were published in both English and German, and the parliament of Maryland decided to publish a German-language version of the Constitution.
   
   Further, Joseph Smith was a traveler from an early age in his father's occult-based, treasure-hunting business. Thus, he repeatedly met people interested in the occult and treasure hunting, so it seems reasonable that he may have heard the story of the "Golden Pot" more than once.
   
   The Germans brought with them the occult beliefs and stories, including the story of the "Golden Pot," in which an archivist (actually a salamander) hires a young man to translate some ancient documents using magic pens.
   
   The author of the "Golden Pot," E.T.A. Hoffmann, also wrote the tale known to everyone today-The Nuctcracker, which was made into the famous ballet.
   
   The story mentions the "faculty of prophecy" and that the documents with their "strange characters" were translated with "greatest clearness and correctness." At the beginning of the story an "old hag" threatens the translator, saying "You'll end up in the crystal."
   
   Contrary to what some Mormons writers say, the first English translation of the Golden Pot (1820) preceded the Book of Mormon by ten years, a sufficient time for Hoffman's story to spread through the United States.
   
   It also appeared in a "German Romance: Specimens of it Chief Authors" (Edinburgh, 1827), translated by Thomas Carlyle. In addition, Germans told and retold Hoffmann's stories that they had read in the original German long before the English translation.
   
   Thus, the unbiased reader is drawn to the parallels between the claims of Joseph Smith and the story elements of the "Golden Pot," and Grant Palmer is correct to point out those parallels. They are very interesting.
   
   Lastly, I am surprised that any Mormon would mention FARMS in criticizing Palmer's book. FARMS has made "lying for the Lord" into an artform. In my reviews, I have shown that the men in and associated with FARMS could not tell a straight story if their pay depended on it--in fact, their pay depends on telling falsehoods or more often spinning history.
   
   Regardless of whether the LDS Church is true or not, Mormons should be very cautious when reading anything produced by FARMS.
   
   In short, I would highly recommend Grant Palmer's book.
   
   Let me add that there is not a single word or idea in Mormonism that was not in Joseph Smith's environment. The monks at Ephrata Pennsylvania had the Melchesidec priesthood, and the practice "baptism for the dead," a practice that spread far and wide.
   
   They also believed that the souls "of the just" taught people when the arrived in heaven. AND NOTE, the Whitmers (later the Book of Mormon witnesses) had lived near Ephrata before moving to New York in 1805.
   
   Added to these facts, we must mention that Harmony, Pennsylvania (the hometown of Joseph's first wife Emma Hale) was founded by the anti-tobacco prophet George Rapp, who had a 900 person commune only twelve miles down the road at Economy when Joseph Smith came to Harmony.
   
   Although Rapp preached celibacy, he had studied Emanuel Swedenborg, who taught that marriage with sex existed in heaven and produced spiritual offspring (love and truth--a breath away from Joseph Smith's literal spiritual children).
   
   So, in reality, all the elements of Mormonism were just lying around for somebody to pick up. Nevertheless, there is little or no Mormonism in the Book of Mormon, itself--no men becoming gods, no polygamy, no God living on a planet, no marriage in heaven, no temple garments, and no baptism for the dead.
   
   This is to be explained by the fact that Joseph Smith was still young (22-23) and focused on correcting the errors of Christianity. As he became more educated and stated his opinions on various issues, Mormonism evolved over a 12-year-period (roughly after 1830 to 1842).
   
   If all we had was the Book of Mormon, the LDS Church would be just another Christian sect.
   
   To read my review of the Book of Mormon, click here: The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ
   
   Your comments--positive or negative--are appreciated. Thanks



5. This would have taken some fortitude for High Priest to write and publish. Palmer presents his evidence of 19th century origins for the Book of Mormon in a sympathetic manner with consideration for his readers beliefs, and with understanding of the impact that information, previously 'put aside' by the LDS instructors will have. Palmer shows how knowledge of the book's origins need not destroy belief in the underlying principles of the LDS gospel.
   
   This book should be required reading for every LDS member.

5 comments about Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows.

1. Will Bagley has done this subject a great service. While Jaunita Brooks broke ground with her book decades ago, Will Bagley has taken the research much farther and has provided the world with the definitive study. The Mountain Meadows Massacre was the result of many situations developing to a tragic end, for which the Mormon Church was directly responsible. For those with an interest in this part of history, I cannot recommend this book enough.



2. This takes up where Juanita Brooks leaves off. Covers much of the same ground but adds materially to understanding the Mountain Meadows Massacre. An excellent read, well written and documented.



3. I read Juanita Brooke's Mountain Meadow Massacre several years ago and decided to follow up with this book to see what if anything was different. This book actually compliments the work of Ms. Brooke's. It includes much more detail and as the author indicated does give many new insights not previously available.
   
   It is certainly a disturbing chapter in Mormon history and certainly made me think. I highly recommend this book to any person looking for honest information regarding this incident.



4. The book, _Blood of the Prophets_ was unfortunately written by a 'for hire' author with an a priori conclusion that, in Will Bagley's words, would "pin it on Brigham Young". When you pour your research into an anti-Mormon polemic, it tends to be wasted taint and that's what we've gotten here.



5. I was hopeful of getting a straight story of what happened at Mountain Meadows when I read this book. My ancestor is involved. Bagley warned that if the reader came to read about the "Saints" this and the "Saints" that, then the reader would be disappointed. I was excited about reading a balanced and unbiased story. I checked it out of the public library. I did not see the biased word "Saints" but I did read a very biased book.
   
   
   I am not a big conspiracy person. However, Bagley's conspiracy goes like this:
   
   1. The much beloved Parley P. Pratt is murdered.
   2. Two Mormon men see the "Arkansas" party leave.
   3. They notify the Utah Mormons that the wagon train is on the way.
   4. The Mormons want to take revenge for Parley P. Pratt's murder
   5. The apostle Charles C. Rich (my ancestor) kicks them out of Salt Lake. He sets in motion the conspiracy and tells them not to take the route that the Donner Party took but rather to go to Mountain Meadows.
   6. There Brigham Young has devised a plan to murder all in the wagon train.
   7. (By all accounts) About 50 Mormon men (remember no Indians) are led by Lee, a somewhat less of a leader. These 50 men (remember no Indians) keep tough wagon train men with guns pinned down for several days. (That would be tough. I've been there. There were more trees back then.)
   8. No attempt is made to cover up the crime site. (The bodies were just left)
   9. A very weak story is contrived to explain how everyone in the wagon train was murdered.
   10. It doesn't take long for the real story to come out.
   11. Still the crime site is not cleaned up. The US Army does that later.
   
   I am not a conspiracy person. I feel Oswald acted alone when he killed Kennedy.
   I do not think there was a conspiracy to kill everyone in the wagon train. It is silly, nonsensical, and intellectually offensive to say that Brigham Young ordered the massacre. Such people put themselves in the same class as the Kennedy conspiracy theorists.
   
   What made Bagley write this?
   
   1. I think he has issues with his Mormon past. He hints of it in his writing.
   2. He "does not like Brigham Young". It is probably not a good idea to write a book if you feel that way. The best Hitler books are balanced. Bagley's book is not balanced. He all but admits it.
   
   Conclusion: Bagley blew it. He wrote an implausible book based on an unlikely conspiracy. He started out with the goal of pinning it on Brigham Young. This reveals a bias..
   
   The conspiracy that is the foundation of his book is not supported by other unbiased historians.
   A recent book, The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy by Vincent Bugliosi, put to rest the Kennedy conspiracy. The upcoming book by Turley will hopefully put to rest the Bagley conspiracy.

5 comments about Mormonism For Dummies.

1. As a non-Mormon (with no intention of converting) who used to live in La Jolla, California, I became curious about Mormonism after passing the La Jolla Temple everyday on my way to work. The fact that I was forbidden to go inside made it that much more intriguing. I have had Mormon colleagues, Mormon friends-of-friends, but never anyone to actually tell me what Mormonism is all about and why I should be interested. I bought this book with a little fear and trepidation (what if it makes me want to convert???). My fear was completely unfounded. "Mormonism for Dummies" gives a relatively unbiased view of Mormonism in a pleasant, often funny text. I now have more compassion for Mormons (although I still do not want to convert) and a more thorough understanding of what they believe. I highly recommend this book for Christians. I am buying a copy of it for my brother for Christmas.



2. We recently were relocated through my husbands employer to Salt Lake City. And I'd known a few mormons. However, I was warned it was "different" down there in Utah. SO I got this book to help me understand a bit. Glad I did. For basic information, this book seems to be very informative. It doesn't have everything (how can it?) The glossary of terms was great. Whenever we'd hear something, we'd immediately look it up. They have a section in there about how a typical Sunday service is held - information which was of no use to us. There is a lot of the history of the religon.
   
   If you're moving to SLC, this is an indispensible tool.



3. I am not Mormon but I wanted to learn as much as I could about the LDS faith in as short a period of time as possilbe. I read the book in two days and found the information I was looking for. It is an excellent introduction to a truly great faith. The lifestyle is too restrictive for me but I can see the benefit and reasoning behind it. My only real complaints about LDS beliefs is the churchs positon on breeding and tithing 10%. Over population is a serious problem and it does not help the environment for people to have seven, eight or nine children even if they can afford it. But I really like the LDS emphasis on family and family values. I support Mitt Romney as President and will gladly argue with anyone that his faith is not a reason to vote against him. This book has given me some useful knowlege to use in support of that cause.



4. There are other good reviews here that discuss why this book is so good. I will only add what they didn't cover.
   
   My favorite part of the book was when the authors covered cultural and sociological issues, such as retention and attendance rate. For example, did you know that Mormon attendance on Sundays in the USA/Canada is only about 50%? I was really surprised by that. For some reason I thought it would be a little bit higher. (In the USA/Canada, weekly attendance is about 83 to 87 percent for English Jehovah's Witness congregations. The attendance is higher for foreign language congregations in those countries. Jehovah's Witnesses are frequently mistaken for Mormons and vice versa.) The book, "Leaving the Fold", written by a Mormon, sheds some light on the situation.
   
   They joked about Mormon parents buying their kids cars so that the young men would become missionaries, but that the Mormon church is now stricter about getting "worthy" candidates for missionary service. Although I knew that young single women can also become missionaries, I didn't know that some retired Mormon couples also serve as missionaries.
   
   My interest in the Mormon religion stems from the fact that I've been mistaken as one. I'm actually one of Jehovah's Witnesses now and I would never become Mormon. I simply disagree with their theological beliefs and teachings about the Bible.
   
   For example, the authors admit that Joseph Smith made corrections to the King James Version of the Bible and gave some examples where this occurs. They explained that their version of the KJV Bible is the only accepted one by the Mormon church authorities but that they didn't know why the LDS honchos don't accept modern day translations that are based on modern day discoveries of older parchments and scrolls. I'm referring in particular to the Dead Sea Scrolls. All the authors say is that the modern day Bible translations are not acceptable to the LDS church honchos. To my ears, this sounds like a convenient way for the Mormons to keep saying "we believe the Bible only as far as it's been accurately translated." For example, many mainstream Christians, while acknowledging the beautiful language of the archaic English used in the KJV Bible, prefer using a modern English Bible that is based on older and more accurate scrolls/parchments. That's why they printed the New King James Version of the Bible.
   
   The old KJV Bible was printed in the year 1611 CE. Since then, many more ancient Bible scrolls/parchments have been discovered that correct the flaws in this version of the Bible. It will be interesting to see if other ancient parchments will come to light in the near future.
   
   At any rate, this book is excellent for anyone who wants a reasonably comprehensive view of the biggest Mormon sect from a devout Mormon point of view.



5. I read this book in just three days. It is a very easy read but is very obviously written by Mormons. It is very faith-promoting. The author addresses absolutely none of the controversial aspects of Mormonism. I'm sure the PR department of the Mormon church was very pleased with this book, but it is not fair for someone who really wants to know the whole truth about the Mormon faith. If you want a fair accurate book that gives the full picture but is neither faith-promoting nor anti-Mormon, try Mormon America.

5 comments about The God Makers: A Shocking Expose of What the Mormon Church Really Believes.

1. Living in the Northwest, i really did not understand what mormons believed, and how is that different from what i believe? This book goes into great detail , and thoroughly explains the roots of the religion ( which is extremely important.) The religion is based on something that was not just a "revelation", it was something that kept changing with the whims of joseph smith. then thru the years, it continued to change whenever it was convenient or necessary for the mormon leadership. The author gives many examples to support his claims. He does talk about what the mormon church is currently, and how the church holds a double standard, so that in the end, the mormons are expected to live up to perfection standards, .... which of course they won't be able to do.
   THe most shocking thing was that when they die, the church teaches that they still won't be able to go directly to heaven, they will have to further wait for others to pray them in! So it is a no win situation.
   Decker makes his points clearly, and supports his points with facts.
   I would recommend that you also read the book by Jim Spencer - his own testimony of coming to mormonism and then trying to leave it and how he began to realize the problems. This is easier reading than decker's book, and prepares you for what the contradictions are.
   Christians need to read these explanations of LDS. They need to understand the differences, the SERIOUS reasons why mormons are not worshipping jesus christ. The Bible teaches that Christ said he died for the Unworthy, because they cannot be perfect. Mormonism says Christ is expecting you to be worthy and perfect, and only then can you go to heaven. VERY DIFFERENT!
   
   Highly recommend this one. Also talks about Free Masons and how they are related to LDS church.



2. Growing up on the outside edges of this society, made one curious. Knew enough to stay out of the way. Seemed to be more prevalent in the 60's or openly against the outsiders. The book answered a lot of questions. Also the back up movie with clarification from a friend who is part of the LDS hierachy, explaining that this is true information. Worthwhile reading.



3. I once worked with three Mormon co-workers. They were devout, moral, respectable people, and I was curious about their beliefs. I was a protestant Christian, but wanted to make sure that I was not just following my family's faith, simply because I was raised to do so. With an open mind, I read some of the Mormon's sacred books. I discovered that Joseph Smith had re-written the Bible, so I bought a copy of his version of the Bible as well. I was surprised at all the contradictions, and realized that the core beliefs of Mormonism slowly evolved and became more elaborate over time -- often contradicting earlier beliefs. Overall, Joseph Smith's "corrected" passages of the Bible were.... for lack of a better word -- absurd -- and indicated a basic lack of understanding of what he was writing about. I can only assume that the Mormon church leaders agree, since Mormons inexplicably do not even use their own founder's version of the Bible. My investigations led me to the book THE GODMAKERS. It exposes a host of contradictions and most shocking of all, the occultic origin and practices of this religion, which the church downplays or denies. It gave me a renewed appreciation for the beauty of the Bible's cohesive message of God's plan of salvation. In my opinion, the Mormon religion would make more sense if it disassociated itself with the Bible, since it contradicts it in so many ways. Joseph Smith's vision and the Mormon claim that the gospel message was meant to be continually added upon is not congruent with verses, such as: II Corinthians (NASB), "...for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light," and Galations 1:8, "But even though we, or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed." This book is a masterpiece on the subject of Mormonism. It was an eye opener and made me realize that the religion's veracity crumbles in light of the contradictions and occultic practices, which many Mormons do not recognize or realize until they are deeply involved and have committed their lives to it.



4. I have a long standing interest in Mormonism. I believe i read this when it first came out in 1984, but it was worth the time to reread.
   
   Mormonism is important for a number of reasons. Several touched on in the book, it's power, influence and money. it's rapid growth, it's similarity to real Christianity, and for it's basic theology, it's similiarity to gnosticism and hinduism etc.
   
   only in a few places did i disagree with the author and those were places his premil-dispensationalist theology popped up. i think that the book is well researched, well presented and factually correct. withstanding the test of time and the assaults of Mormons protecting their faith.
   
   worthwhile as a sunday school text, a young Christians study group or for self study on the phenomena of Mormonism. off hand i can only think of the Tanner's work as being better.



5. I hope people don't believe everything they read. If you want to know more about the Mormon religion, ask a Mormon, not someone who distorts and sensationalizes. As for the Bible being the "true word of God": the Bible is writings of prophets and their accounts, not directly written by God. Mormons hold the Bible to be true, but also believe in modern day prophets and revelations. People have no problem believing in prophets from the Bible, but refuse to believe God still calls prophets to be his mouthpiece.

5 comments about Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith.

1. I am an active member of the Mormon Church, come from good old pioneer stock, was married in the temple and my Father is a former Bishop and Stake President.
   I absolutely LOVED this book. I grew up in Provo and Martha Beck has older siblings who were my age. How she described living in Utah, getting married in the temple and other aspects of being a Mormon couldn't be more accurate.
   I have also read much about SRA (satanic ritual abuse) and what Beck described in her book is identical to many other victim's memories who grew up in the Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religions.
   I have read John Beck's review and find it to be extremely bitter, distasteful and misleading. Martha is very kind, gracious, and complimentary to him and his parents in the book. Someone in the church (along with someone in the Nibley family) must have gotten to him. His review must have hurt Martha a great deal which I'm sure was John's intent.



2. Anyone who knows both Hugh Nibley and Martha Beck knows who is telling the truth--it isn't Mrs. Beck.



3. I'm always intimidated to write a review for a really good book because I'm afraid I won't do it justice. This woman is one hell of a writer. If her father had one half of her talent for language I can understand how, through the "apologies" he wrote, he would be able to keep people faithful to a religion that is KOOKY at best. I'm sure this story of Martha's successful journey through her dark night of the soul into true spiritual peace and understanding will be a beacon for others who have experienced any kind of personal tragedy or challenge. The insider's view of the history and workings of the Mormon Church is enough of a reason to read it.



4. I found Martha Beck's book very healing. Having grown up near Provo Utah, I could really understand and identify with the situations and challenges she talked about. Seeing Mormonism from a more objective viewpoint I could let go of some of the guilt I have felt and understand why some of the beliefs just didn't feel good.
   Thank you Martha, I can't believe you really said that.



5. I honestly have nothing to say about whatever supposed "anti-Mormon" slant the book has. I knew all the back-story stuff about Mormonism when I started reading the book; that wasn't what interested me. I had no idea who Martha Beck's father was or that he was some bigshot in the Mormon church - that didn't interest me either.
   
   What did interest me was Martha's heartfelt and candid exploration of going through remembrance of her childhood sexual abuse, through anger and bewilderment to forgiveness. Regardless of what anyone else (and it's usually someone with an ulterior motive) has to say about the veracity of "recovered memories," they do happen. I was molested as a young child, by a male babysitter, and did not fully remember the details of the incident until I was much older. I did not have my revelation as a result of therapy; it happened one night as I was alone in my room reading. I did end up in therapy as a result but my therapist did not focus on "recovering" any more details of the incident; she only wanted to discuss what I was able to remember unassisted, and help me to move past it. Reading Martha's recollections brought back terrible and wonderful memories for me, of my own journey through anger into forgiveness. Perhaps people who have not had the experience cannot understand, but really there is no reason for someone to make up or embellish memories of sexual abuse, and it shouldn't be difficult to understand why people would repress memories of it. It's not exactly the kind of thing you want to remember.
   
   This is a wonderful book, full of humor and love and Beck's amazement at her own awakening. Beck speaks with a voice that is so honest, so raw, so open that it was impossible for me to doubt one word of what she said. The fact that her siblings, ex-husband etc. tried to cast aspersions on what she said (one of her siblings attempted to do this by saying that Beck had been 'melodramatic as a child' - gee, I wonder why?) says, to me, that there is truth in her story; otherwise why would people be so eager to discredit it? If it was made up out of whole cloth everyone would have laughed off the allegations and that would have been it. The fact that so many people put forth such concerted effort to slander Ms. Beck and her account lead me to believe that she is telling the truth, not that she is a histrionic attention-seeker. My mother had a similar reaction to Beck's mother when I told her about my remembrance - saying at first that she "had always known" something had gone on, but then telling me that abuse is "not that big of a deal" and that I should just try not to think about it ever again. My therapist helped me to understand that many mothers react this way to abuse revelations because it's easier for them to disbelieve and/or discount than to face the idea that they failed to protect their child from something horrific - especially if they themselves suffered abuse as children.
   
   The main reason why I would recommend this book to any other survivor of childhood sexual abuse is because of its focus on freedom, and letting go. As long as you hold hate and anger in your heart about your abuse, or toward your abuser, you cannot be free. If you live your life from a place of anger, eventually that anger - and therefore the abuse - will begin to define you as a person. And who wants to be defined by abuse, or by their abuser? Abusers take much from their child victims, but they do not take away their ability to get clear of the abuse and define themselves. Abuse victims do not have to forgive - just accept, and move forward. By the same token, if you do not face your memories and come to terms with what happened, you cannot be free either. I wholeheartedly believe that Martha's intent in this book was not to slander anyone or ruin anyone's life; she is doing what she felt she needed to do to get free of what happened to her. I could actually care less about the Mormonism stuff in the book, although people who are anti-Mormon will find plenty of fuel for their fire in here - I highly recommend this book to people who are struggling to come to terms with the fallout of their own abuse memories. Beck's story is one that is easy to relate to, and her attitude about moving on is ultimately incredibly healthy and positive. Kudos to her for having the courage to tell her story.

5 comments about The Book of Jasher.

1. I can understand why this book was left out of the Bible, but really glad it wasn't trashed!! I got the full writtings off the web and loved that also. Liz



2. This book is written in such a way that it enhances the first five books of the bible. It goes into much greater detail on the stories we all have learned by reading the holy bible. One example is the hate / love relationship between Esau and Jacob. This is a significant historical record as the Book of Jasher is mentioned in both I Samuel and Joshua.



3. I really loved this book, it shed so much light to the Bible Stories, like Cain being killed by Lamech and the Stolen Garment associated with the Curse of Ham...
   
   The Book is awesome... well worth the bucks!!!
   
   My Comment for you if you wanna buy it is:
   
   Just DO IT!



4. This book is terrific and really fills in some areas left out of the King James. It inspired me and was extremely interesting.



5. I am doing a comprehensive study of the Bible and am very grateful to have picked up this book.
   
   First let me say, this is not scripture. This is a secular history book. It deals with the history between the creation and up to Joshua. Actually just after Joshua. Some may question some of the accuracies in the book, but like all ancient manuscripts there are some questionable material. Still, it reads very easy and gives some insights into several of the stories in Genesis.
   
   Very good book, and its nice to read something of antiquity versus reading a modern interpretation on history from some guy 4-6 thousand years removed from the time of the first 5 books of the Bible. IE, ancient texts have more validity than old opinionated professors with agendas. Read the book and formulate your own mind.